UNIONS DEFY HEW DEUCE REGISTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 75, 30 March 1939, Page 11

UNIONS DEFY HEW DEUCE REGISTER.

AUSTRALIAN PLAN. Paralyse Programme By Calling Strikes. COMPULSION RESENTED. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 10.30 a.m.) CANBERRA, this day. The Federal Cabinet decided upon the compilation of a compulsory register of Australian man power. It thus reversed its decision made at Hobart for a voluntary register. It is proposed that the register include all male persons between the ages of 15 and 04. Mr. J. Curtin, Labour Leader, said: "Labour will oppose any set-up for the introduction of conscription, either of armed forces or industry." Leaders of the metal trade unions in j Sydney declared that they would advise all members to defy the Federal Government and refuse to supply any information despite the fact that the register was to be compulsory. Union leaders have already decided that if any attempt is made to compel employees to register they will not hesitate to order strikes in the hope of paralysing the defence programme. | The Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons, t stated that the object of the register i was to ensure the classification of skilled persons S?'in relation to the ! demands of the Navv, Army, Air Force ; and essential industries in the event of I an emergency." Registration, he added, in no wayimplied an obligation to serve in the armed forces or any particular form of industry. The Prime Minister further announced that the Cabinet had decided to authorise the erection immediately of two huge units for the production complete of military aircraft—one unit in Sydney and the other in Melbourne. They would be controlled by a central Commonwealth management committee.

Mr. Lyons added that an agreement had been reached between the Commonwealth and the British Government for a joint order, involving millions of pounds, for the production in Australia of a number of the latest typp of military general reconnaissance aircraft. The machines would be of the Beaufort type. The engines would be supplied by Britain for the time being, but emergency arrangements for the supply of Australian-made engines would in due course be made. Railway workshops in all the eastern States of Australia would be engaged in the construction of standardised frames, and the final assembly of the aircraft would be carried out in the central workshops in Sydney and Melbourne. Delivery of the first batch of airframes was scheduled for 1940, and the maximum bulk of production about the j middle of 1941.